The Dallas Mavericks have dropped four out of their past five games after losing 116-108 to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mavericks are one game out of 10th behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I think that now, again, just where we are in the season, and where other teams are positioned already, it kind of looks like a bit of a clusterf---, to be honest with you," Kyrie Irving said. "Because we're 37-40, and we're trying to fight to get into the play-in game. It's not the expectations I don't think any of us had in that locker room."

Irving is still adjusting to his new situation with the Mavericks.

"I didn't expect to ask for a trade at that point in the season," he said. "So I wanted to finish out with Brooklyn, finish out with the season that we had going, and I didn't get a chance to do that. So some of the goals I had previously this season had to be shifted, and I had to be more than willing, which I am, to be flexible and adaptable and live with the results, whether we make the playoffs or not.

"I just have to be at peace with where I am and which I am, and trust of the guys that I'm going to be in that war room with every single day. So, I'm appreciative of them giving me the opportunity. It's been nothing but great here. And I've been at peace."

Irving added: "So it's been good -- outside of the losses, of course. We'd like to win every game."

Irving will be a free agent this offseason.

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to sign Skylar Mays to a 10-day deal.

Mays has averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 27.6 minutes over 29 games in the G League this season.

Mays appeared in 28 games last season with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Charlotte Hornets will sign Kobi Simmons to a Two-Way contract.

In 32 games with the Greensboro Swarm, Simmons has averaged 18.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 31.8 minutes.

Simmons last played in the NBA during the 18-19 season.

The Indiana Pacers have waived guard Trevelin Queen.

Queen appeared in seven games with the Indiana Pacers, averaging 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game.

Kristaps Porzingis and the Washington Wizards are in serious talks on a contract extension, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As part of an extension, Porzingis would opt out of his $36 million player option for 23-24 to sign a long-term deal.

The Wizards can offer Porzingis up to $180 million over four years. 

Porziņģis has averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks over 65 appearances this season. 

The Charlotte Hornets have signed Xavier Sneed to a 10-day contract. 

Sneed averaged 12.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 31.2 minutes per game across 32 contests (all starts) with the Greensboro Swarm this season. 

The Utah Jazz have agreed to sign Luka Samanic to a 10-day contract.

Samanic is averaging 22.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.3 minutes over 27 games in the G League this season with the Maine Celtics.

Samanic was the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs and was waived before his third season.

Jaylen Brown gave multiple in-depth interviews that were published last week, one in the New York Times and another in The Ringer. Brown's future with the Boston Celtics and happiness with the team and the city were called into question.

For all of Brown's uncertainity with the Celtics, his situation can be quickly clarified this offseason if he makes an All-NBA team and becomes eligible for a supermax extension. If not, Brown will almost certainly become an unrestricted free agent in 2024 due to how the Celtics are limited on a raise from his current below market contract.

“I feel great,” Brown said. “I’m on a 50-win team right now that you can’t take for granted. Tonight was the 50th win. And right now I’m focused on helping to lead my team for another playoff run. In terms of speculation, et cetera, I can’t speculate on anything above what I’m doing right now. I think sometimes when people write articles they get taken out of context especially when writers have their own agendas or whatever. So for me personally, I’m thinking about clarifying some of the things that have been recently said. But other than that, I’m just focused on my team. I’m focused on playing basketball and winning games.”

Brown was asked what he would like to clarify. 

“Nothing right now,” Brown said. “Right now the only thing I want to clarify is that the Celtics need to play better and win more games. If I want to say something in the future about the kind of things that have been floating around I will. But in terms of right now, I like when people hear things from the horse’s mouth and you can see my reaction, my face and everything how I feel about what I’m saying. Sometimes those things can get lost in translation, you know? So if I feel the need to do so I will. I keep constant communication with my teammates and my organization and we’ve gotta have everybody on board if we want to do what we say we want to do. So right now I’m focused on that.”

DaQuan Jeffries and the New York Knicks have agreed to a multi-year deal.

Jeffries recently completed two 10-day deals with the Knicks, but hasn't appeared in any games.

The Dallas Mavericks passed on two opportunities to sign Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $55.5 million extension, first in the offseason and again in January 2022.

When the Mavericks were finally ready to offer Brunson the extension after the trade deadline in 2022, it was too late as his value across the NBA was already far higher than that.

Brunson left the Mavericks to sign a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks.

"I can't say anything bad about Dallas," Brunson told B/R, "but obviously I wish things would've happened differently."

Brunson detailed his willingness to sign an extension with the Mavericks, which would have been very team friendly.

"There were two times that I thought we had offers on the table before the season, and then around, I think December or January, they looked the other way," Brunson said. "They had every right in the world to do so. I don't blame them for making any business decisions. That's on them."

Brunson is still complimentary of the Mavericks. 

"At the same time, I respect them," Brunson told B/R. "They brought me into this league and jump-started my career. Business is business. My four years in Dallas were special. When I first got drafted there, I had that mindset of seeing myself being there for a very long time. My vet at the time, J.J. Barea, he taught me so much and he was there for such a long time. I wanted that role of being with the Mavericks for the long haul of my career. I truly loved that place. As I continued to get older, I got better, and I got more opportunities to showcase my game.

"Both coaching staffs I had there were amazing. Jason Kidd helped unlock something in me that I didn't think would happen that fast. I was growing as a player, but when the playoffs hit, he pushed me to a new level. It was great there. The whole organization and the city of Dallas was special to me and my family. Those four years were amazing."